Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
They farm with chickens and produce farm chickens. This, in short, sums up the recipe for success of Spif Chickens in Naboomspruit, Limpopo. And along the way, they have several approaches to add value to the product they produce without using antibiotics or brine, says the current owner of the enterprise, Kevin Traviss.
Spif is a well-known chicken product brand in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the North-West. The name was derived from the first names of the three brothers who started the business. Although, according to the dictionary, the word ‘spif’ also means something grand or exceptional.
Brothers Pieter, Izak and Fred Earle established the farming enterprise and started to grow out day-old chickens until they were ready to be slaughtered (the majority was sold as live chickens). In 1991, they built an abattoir and started producing broilers.
Kevin and his wife, Nikki, initially farmed near the Magaliesberg, where they also grew out day-old chickens for a large concern until the birds were ready to be slaughtered. They wanted to expand their business, but the company that they dealt with was not very impressed with the idea.
New business venture
In 1997, the Earle brothers decided to sell Spif Chickens, and Kevin and Nikki grabbed the opportunity to buy the company. At first, they slaughtered and processed nearly 9 000 birds per day. Today the abattoir output is between 28 000 and 30 000 per day.
They market the full range of chicken products, from the heads and feet to value added processed products such as chicken pies, sausages, schnitzels, kebabs, patties and whole fried chickens – most of which are available at their five outlets in Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
They started expanding the abattoir and processing plant in 1998 and when, in 2001, they bought another farm near Crecy on the Springbok-flats, they expanded the plant even further. By 2007, the processing capacity of the plant had increased to 35 000 chickens per day.
Strict production measures
On the two farms, they have 18 production sites divided in two groups of nine sites each. Six of the sites on each farm are always full of chickens while three are cleaned and sanitised before receiving the next batch of day-old chicks.
They buy Ross and Cobb chickens from two hatching companies with whom they have a long and good relationship. It is the best type of broiler, and because they only use two types of chickens, it simplifies the management. These chickens have a very good feed conversion rate, which means they eat 1,7kg of feed for every kilogram of meat they put on during the growing cycle.
Chickens are grown out until they are between 34 and 38 days old and weigh 1,8kg on average when they are slaughtered. Every chicken produced can be traced back to where and when it was hatched, grown out, slaughtered, processed and marketed.
After the chickens have been slaughtered, the manure is removed and any loose feathers picked up by hand. The units are then deep cleaned, sanitised and left empty for approximately three weeks to ensure that the production cycle of harmful organisms is broken.
Keep moisture out
New wood shavings are then scattered in the production sites, and the drinking and feeding troughs as well as the heating units, which are also thoroughly sanitised, are replaced.
During the hot summer months, the side curtains of the units are opened fully, but no artificial cooling is used. They put in a lot of effort to keep moisture out of the units because humidity is the breeding ground for numerous harmful organisms.
The chickens get enough sunlight and fresh air since they are raised in open production units. This, says Kevin, virtually provides a free-range environment that enhances the flavour of the meat. Some of the units have hatches designed in such a way that the chickens have daily access to outside grazing camps. Those birds are marketed as free-range chickens.
Afgri nutritionists make up the rations and mix it according to the performance of the chickens in each production unit. An automated feeding system is used, ensuring that fresh and clean feed is always available. Antibiotics are not used as a preventive measure, and chickens are only treated when the need arises.
Marketing strategy
Roughly 65% of the slaughtered chickens are marketed through all the well-known supermarkets and private butcheries while 35% are sold through their own outlets in Naboomspruit, Louis Trichardt, Tzaneen, Hoedspruit and Nelspruit. Kevin describes these outlets as one-stop chicken shops. The Naboomspruit outlet boasts a restaurant with other facilities incorporated.
In these outlets, chicken products can be bought in bulk or small individual packs and all the whole chickens, chicken pieces and processed chicken products are sold to the public under the Spif brand. Where possible value is added.
The Spif brand name is a guarantee that it is South African farm chickens, raised in such a manner that the meat has a special taste. Part of the success of Spif is that the outstanding meat quality and taste are connected to the brand name, which secures many loyal clients.
From disease to distribution
Several precautionary measures are taken to minimise the risk of disease outbreaks. The two farms are 26km apart, which helps to prevent the transmission of potentially harmful viruses between flocks should a disease outbreak occur. No visitors are allowed on the farms and when people must enter, the wheels of their vehicles are sprayed with disinfectant. There are also footbaths at every unit that everybody has to walk through when entering.
Older chickens are never moved back and mixed with younger birds, and workers are only assigned to units with chickens of the same age. They are not allowed to move to other units. They normally try to keep the same workers with a group of chickens from day-old to slaughter.
When that group of chickens is slaughtered, the workers go on leave for three weeks while the units are cleaned and sanitised. They return when a new group of day-old chicks arrives.
Spif owns their own fleet of trucks and handles their own distribution. Because they work with fresh products, chickens that are slaughtered today must arrive at their destination the next day. Kevin says they only slaughter to meet orders. Therefore, they only slaughter the number of chickens per day that must be delivered the next day.
They work five days per week, with a single shift each day, to accommodate the 28 000 to 30 000 chickens slaughtered per day. That leaves enough time to thoroughly clean the abattoir after every shift; over weekends the abattoir and processing plant are deep cleaned and disinfected.
Best in the province
All of this contributed to them winning the Limpopo government’s MEC-award as the best abattoir for all species in the province. They were also named as the best high-volume chicken abattoir.
Kevin attributes their success to the flat management structure they use that allows them to make quick decisions. Four days are 10% of a chicken’s life span. So, you cannot ponder too long before deciding what must be done.
With all these systems in place and hands-on management, the mortality rate in their chicken flocks is 3,5% on average, which compares well with the rest of the industry. In addition, they create 470 permanent jobs. – Andries Gouws, Stockfarm
For enquiries, contact Kevin Traviss on 014 743 1035 or email ktraviss@spif.co.za.
